Wrecked
by Sugakookie Monster
Summary: So Yi Jung loved Ga Eul. She was his air, but he pretended that she was the wind. He thought she would move on and find someone to love her right, but he never thought she would give up on her idea of soul mates the same time he started believing. He's finally admitted to himself that he loved her, but now she's the one in denial.
1. Chapter 1

**Chu Ga Eul was not drunk.**

The nightclub was dimly lit and she hadn't seen a familiar face yet. She and her old college buddies had just arrived an hour ago but it didn't take long for them to disperse into the crowd. A few of them might have still been hanging out in the secluded section of the club, catching up for old time's sake, but Ga Eul wasn't planning on returning to them just yet. It wasn't as if they minded – they had gotten used to her disappearing acts during these times.

The sweaty bodies and stench of beer surrounding her were the farthest things on her mind as she was lost in the beat of the pounding music the club was playing. She wouldn't have had the confidence to be dancing if it weren't for the slight buzz she felt. The alcohol in her system numbed her senses and she loved it. It was only during these times when she could really just let go.

Usually Ga Eul didn't bother with dancing partners. They came and went as they pleased while she was stuck in her fantasy. A few times she would escape the club with one lucky guy and they would dance 'til the night ended their routine of kisses and caresses. They never meant anything to Ga Eul – just random hook-ups that she would forget about eventually.

"Ah Ga Eul," she heard one of her friends call out. She stopped dancing and headed toward the bar where he was standing.

"What did you want?" she asked.

He tried to look offended. "What? Can I not want to catch up with one of my best friends? Hey, aren't you a teacher now? I wonder what your students' parents would think if they ever find you here," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think they would find their way here any time soon," she replied. "Now cut the crap. You spotted a girl and need my help, don't you?"

He chuckled. "You know me so well."

"Which one is she?" she asked. He pointed out a girl and Ga Eul just nodded. The girl didn't look like she was used to coming to nightclubs. In fact, just from her looks she reminded Ga Eul of her younger self. The way she stayed close to her friends and avoided every other person's gaze told Ga Eul that she was a good girl.

Ga Eul muttered some advice to her friend and he left without a "thank you," which might have annoyed her a little bit. She didn't like being pulled away from the dance floor so early in the evening.

She ordered a shot of vodka and downed it before heading back to her friends' table.

"Finally decided to grace us with your presences, eh, Chu Ga Eul?" one of the girls seated at the table muttered.

"I've just decided to come and chat with you. There's nothing wrong with that," Ga Eul replied.

The other girl snorted. "Yeah, until you decide to run off with another stranger tonight. You've gotten tired of that, right?"

"'I'll admit it's been some weeks since I've gotten laid," Ga Eul muttered with a wink.

The others laughed. "Does that mean you're planning on leaving with someone tonight?" another girl muttered.

Ga Eul shrugged. "If anyone catches my eye."

An arm was then wrapped around her shoulders. "Eh, you can always go home with me, Ga Eul-ssi," one of her guy friends muttered.

"In your dreams," she muttered, moving away from him. He held his hand over his heart as if offended as everyone else laughed.

"You wound me, Ga Eul-ssi."

"Hey, at least your head still fits the room," she joked.

They continued to joke around, laugh and drink until Ga Eul decided she wanted back on the dance floor. She had gone there with a few friends but soon enough they were lost in the crowd and Ga Eul was on her own.

She was lost in the rhythm of the song playing, feeling someone behind her. She paid it no mind as she continued dancing and hands started roaming around her body. Instinctively, she grinded onto the stranger as he placed strong hands on her hips. She arched her back, giving him access to her neck.

His closeness made her shiver as he placed soft kisses on her neck. She felt his warm breath trail up to the side of her face.

"Tell me, Miss Ga Eul, why have I only just discovered this side of you," he whispered.

It took her a few moments to register the words and she froze. _How did he know her name?_

She took a deep breath before reluctantly turning to face the mysterious stranger.

Except, he wasn't a stranger.

"Woo Bin Sunbae?"

The F4's Don Juan just grinned. "So I was right. It is you."

Suddenly their spot on the dance floor was too crowded and Ga Eul tried escaping to the bar. It didn't take long before they both away from the maze of bodies.

"Wh-what are you doing here, Sunbae?"

"I should ask you the same thing," he said, taking a seat on one of the stools. He ordered a drink – Ga Eul didn't hear what – and offered to buy her one too but she refused his offer. He shrugged and took a gulp of the alcoholic beverage.

The girl crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned. "There's nothing wrong going out to clubs. You do it all the time."

Woo Bin chuckled. "I didn't mean it like that. Does Jan Di know that you're here?"

Ga Eul nodded. Jan Di didn't really like her college friends. Being the over-protective best friend she was, she didn't approve of their night outs. She had been invited one time to party with them and Ga Eul might have let the alcohol influence her a little too much, resulting in Jan Di's conclusion that they were no good. Of course, Ga Eul didn't let her take control over her relationships.

Jan Di was probably back in her room, grumbling about how she should have convinced Ga Eul to stay in for the night.

Ga Eul knew the girl was worried about her new lifestyle but this was the way she chose to live now. It was a habit she wasn't ready to break. At least, not yet.

"Why d you call me _sunbae_?" he questioned.

She shrugged. "You were once Jan Di's sunbae," she said. "It stuck, I guess. So, what are you doing here, Mister Mafia Prince?" She and Song Woo Bin had never really been friends, though they were acquaintances. It was a surprise really that he remembered her. It had been so long since she had been in contact with a member of the F4. They were really more Jan Di's friends than hers.

"Same reason as you, I guess. To party." He shot her a wink as he finished the rest of his drink. "Would you want to dance?"

She was startled by his question at first but then nodded. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the dance floor.

She felt uneasy at first, dancing awkwardly right next to Woo Bin. It was like seeing him brought back memories of the other guy, the one who had left.

She shook her head. He was gone from her life. She wasn't chasing after him any more like a love-struck schoolgirl.

 _Stop thinking of him!_

It was as if the memory of him was what led to her behavior. If she were going to be honest, she didn't even remember how all of this started. The drinking, the partying. Jan Di had blamed it on her friends but Ga Eul couldn't help but feel that they were just the push she needed. It was all because of one So Yi Jeong.

The next few minutes were a blur. She didn't even remember how she ended up being pushed up against the wall. She was lost in the moment, his one hand on her waist as the other wandered up her skirt.

She wasn't stopping him and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to.

He broke apart from her lips to leave a trail of kisses on her neck. His lips found hers again, their tongues battling for control.

The hand on her waist moved upwards and a second later he was pulling away. She protested, brining his lips back to hers.

"Ga Eul-ssi, I think we should stop," he muttered into the kiss but didn't really pull away.

She pouted. "I don't want to, Sunbae."

* * *

a/n: wanted to try writing a BOF fanfic so here it is... i'm a huge soeul shipper but for some reason i wouldn't mind woobin getting in the way of that


	2. Chapter 2

**A hangover would have been a better option for Ga Eul.** It wasn't that she liked feeling sick and throwing up and that shit, but it seemed to be a less embarrassing option compared to waking up in Song Woo Bin's bedroom.

She hadn't drunken too much that night but still it seemed her judgment was a little too clouded at the time. Maybe more than just _a little_.

She was alone when she had woken up, which she was grateful for. The awkward morning after was never something she liked to experience, especially now since her bedmate had been an acquaintance of hers.

Ga Eul was about to get up but stopped. She realized she was butt-naked, spotting her discarded clothes scattered around the room. Not taking the risk, she grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself before fetching her clothes. Her final piece of clothing was on just as the bedroom door opened.

"Oh, you're awake," Woo Bin muttered as he entered the room. "Are you ready to leave? I can drive you home."

She tried to shake off the awkwardness she was feeling. "Why are you being so nice?" Ga Eul questioned. She was surprised that he seemed to care. Surely he wasn't as kind to other women.

Woo Bin shrugged. "You are a friend," he uttered. "Rather, you are a friend of a friend. Besides, I don't think Jan Di would appreciate it if I were to make you walk home."

Ga Eul nodded. He was right. Although, she was sure Jan Di also would not be happy if she found out about what had happened that night.

She followed him to his car. The ride wasn't too long but it had been silent and a little uncomfortable. He had stopped just in front of her apartment building. She didn't even bother to ask how he knew where she lived.

"Uh, Woo Bin Sunbae," she muttered as she hopped out of the car. "Whatever happened last night—"

"It never happened," he said and she nodded. At least they were on the same page.

It was a Friday again but this time she had no plans for the night. In fact, Ga Eul was looking forward to just spending the rest of the afternoon at home reading the new book her colleague had suggested she read.

But before she could curl up on her couch, her phone rang. She checked the caller. Jan Di.

"Ga Eul, are you okay?"

Ga Eul sighed, not wanting to be reminded of it. "I'm fine," she replied. Except she wasn't fine. She was angry, confused, surprised and so many other emotions. Mostly angry.

The last thing she ever expected was for him to show up in the middle of class.

Now there were a lot of things Ga Eul regretted. Being such a naïve fool was one of them, sleeping with Song Woo Bin was another thing, but what topped her list of regrets was telling her students she had a boyfriend in Sweden.

She had lied to keep the single dads from hitting on her, but she never thought the lie would come to bite her in the ass later on.

"Sunbae, what are you doing here?" she asked when she finally got her class to settle down. They seemed to adore the young man whom they thought was their beloved teacher's boyfriend.

"Did you forget my promise four years ago?" he asked, looking genuinely surprised. Was she hallucinating or did he really look hurt? She dismissed the thought, telling herself that it was just her imagination. "I said that you would be the first person I would come to see when I return."

"I didn't know you were coming back today."

"That's because I wanted to surprise you," he muttered, a grin plastered on his face.

There was a time when his smile made her heart seem to flutter. She couldn't help but fall in love with him a little more every time he smiled at her. Not a smirk, but a smile that she thought he reserved only for the people close to him. Even now it made her heart melt…

 _Pabo! Stop thinking about his smile_ , she told herself. _You're over him, remember?_

"Do the others know that you're here?" She couldn't remember if Jan Di had mentioned anything of his return or anything. He had probably told Jan Di not to tell her anyway.

Yi Jeong shook his head. "No, they don't know yet," he informed her. "You are the first to know that I have returned to Korea."

Ga Eul felt her heart skip a beat. "Wow. I feel so lucky to be the first to know of your homecoming."

"As you should." He chuckled and Ga Eul couldn't stop her smile from reaching her ears. "I missed you, Ga Eul-yang."

Her smile faltered as he muttered those words. Shouldn't she have been happy that he had missed her while he was away?

No. She spent years convincing herself that he didn't care for her, telling herself she didn't care for his love anymore. What was he doing now? Worming his way back into her heart, that's what he was doing. She couldn't let him do that, not this time.

A pang of guilt hit her when she saw the hurt look in his eyes when she didn't reply right away. She looked away in hopes of finding a distraction. Her students were busy playing with each other and Ga Eul looked up at the clock.

"It's almost time for their parents to pick them up," she muttered. "I should get them ready."

Yi Jeong nodded. "I should also get going. I have other people to visit," he told her. He muttered a farewell and Ga Eul turned away from him and to her students.

It took a moment before she heard the closing of the door. She looked back and realized he was gone.

"Was that your boyfriend, teacher?" one of the kids asked.

Ga Eul forced a smile on her face and shook her head. "He's just a friend."

"But you look good together," another student piped in.

"Ya, how would you know? You're still young," Ga Eul replied.

"My big sister has a boyfriend so I know," the girl giggled.

Ga Eul rolled her eyes playfully. "He's not my boyfriend. Now, go and clean up. You're parents are coming soon."

The kids scuttled excitedly and Ga Eul chuckled as she watched them.

It didn't take long for the parents to start arriving and soon Ga Eul was back in her apartment. Which brings her here, to this phone conversation with Jan Di.

"He hadn't told anyone that he was back," Jan Di muttered. "And then when he did he came to you first. That must have been such a shock. Are you sure you're alright?"

Ga Eul nodded. "I'm alright. I'm a big girl now, Jan Di. I'm stronger now." _Liar_.

"Well, if you're sure…" She trailed off and Ga Eul could tell that there was another reason for the call.

Ga Eul decided to take the initiative and ask, "Did something happen?"

"I'm engaged."

"What?"

"Gu Jun Pyo proposed to me," Jan Di told her.

"Really? I'm so happy for you!" And she was. "This calls for a celebration. Wanna go out and hit the clubs tonight?" She could already see Jan Di shaking her head, but she figured it was worth a shot. She needed some alcohol in her system and maybe then could she relax about the Yi Jeong situation.

"No. Not with your friends," Jan Di said, though Ga Eul already expected this answer from her. What she didn't expect was Jan Di saying she was already going out. With the F4 and Jae Kyung. "You should come too," she insisted.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she replied. It was not a good idea for two reasons, and those two reasons were the womanizers in the group. The Don Juan and the Casanova. Ga Eul bit back a curse. She just had to get involved with those two. First she falls for the Casanova and then goes and sleeps with the Don Juan. Ga Eul was going to have to reevaluate her choices in life.

"I promise I'll keep you far away from him as possible," Jan Di muttered.

 _He's not the only one I'm worried about_ , she thought but Ga Eul weighed the options. To go or not to go. She needed the drink. "I'll go."

* * *

 _a/n: wow i wasn't expecting the response that the first chapter got but i'm glad you guys liked it :) tbh when i wrote it a few months ago i was super awkward bc damn... i probably won't write scenes like that again unless i need to for the plot.. i had the whole thing planned out but im not too sure now.. i'll probably go with the flow for now before i stay strictly on a certain plot_

 _thank you so much for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

**She arrived at the club first.** As soon as Jan Di had told her the address, she insisted on arriving alone. Her excuse was that she didn't want to see the F4 member so soon.

Why hadn't she just rejected the offer? It would have made her life much easier. She could have gone out on her own to a different nightclub or maybe call up one of her other friends. But no, she needed to vent and Jan Di was the only one she trusted. If she wasn't too out of it by the end of the night, she was going to make Jan Di stay over just so she can tell her everything she had bottled up inside—maybe not the part concerning Woo Bin, but everything else. She didn't think that part was important.

Here she was at the nightclub, which she suspected was under the ownership of Song Woo Bin. Music and, mainly, alcohol kept her mind off of the things that she worried about.

She wasn't in the dance floor, rather at the bar, but she still allowed the music to free her of the stress as she drank from her glass of an expensive type of drink. She didn't have the money to pay for it but she figured her rich companions would. She wasn't wrong.

Woo Bin walked up beside her just as she lifted the glass to her lips.

"I see you're having a head start with the alcohol," he commented and she responded with a smile. He gestured for the bartender to also get him a drink, and then told him that he would pay for her drink too. "How many have you had already?"

"This is my first. I just got here," she replied. "Why? You worried that I would drink too much?"

"Well, I wouldn't a repeat of the last time."

She shook her head. "The last time never happened, remember?"

He nodded. "Right." But they had to admit that it was an elephant in the room they couldn't avoid.

"Why do you care anyway? So what if I leave with some random stranger tonight?"

It seemed he was taken aback by her question but he quickly composed himself. "We are somewhat friends. I should care. Especially because a best friend of mine cares a lot about you." Her expression darkened and she shot him a glare but he dismissed it. "He isn't here right now, so I feel a responsibility to watch over you."

"And where was that responsibility when that other night?" she challenged. They had both agreed to never speak of the incident but it seemed as though that was impossible.

"I regret it. I wasn't in the right state of mind and neither were you," he said. "The others won't find out. Especially, Yi Jeong."

She downed the rest of her drink then ordered another one. "I shouldn't care if he finds out, but I do."

"As much as you won't want to admit it, there are still some leftover feelings. Am I right?"

Ga Eul gave no answer and that was enough for Woo Bin to know that he was right.

"How about we move this party somewhere else," he suggested. "I have a table reserved." And just like that, it was as if the animosity between them was gone. They moved to the reserved corner of the club and just talked until the others arrived.

Ji Hoo arrived first, with Jae Kyung following soon after. Jan Di and Jun Pyo had arrived together and the only missing member in the circle of friends was Yi Jeong.

The three males sat on one side of the table and the females on the other, the happy couple sitting in the middle. Ga Eul was glad to be sitting in between Jae Kyung and Jan Di. That meant the other guy would not get the chance to sit next to her.

It didn't take long for the last guy to arrive and Ga Eul was not prepared. Sure, she had already seen him earlier that day but this time was under different circumstances. There had been children surrounding them when he came to visit her and she had been caught by surprise. However, she was now aware and, under the dim lights of the nightclub and dressed in a suit, he made it difficult for Ga Eul not to look his way. It wasn't that he didn't look handsome earlier but maybe it was just the alcohol making her react this way.

"And the gang is now complete! How has everyone been doing?" someone asked and they each launched into stories that they felt the others would want to hear. Ga Eul could feel a pair of eyes watching her and she tried her best to avoid eye contact. A waitress came up to them with a tray of drinks and Ga Eul didn't hesitate to grab one of the alcoholic drinks.

"Ga Eul, don't drink that!" Jan Di exclaimed when she saw the girl get the drink.

Ga Eul made a face. "Why not? You can't tell me what to do and expect me to follow."

"I agree with Jan Di, Ga Eul- _yang_ ," Yi Jeong told her. "It's alcoholic. You might not be able to handle it."

Ga Eul just snorted and drank from the glass, which caught Yi Jeong by surprise. He didn't know just how much Ga Eul had changed over the years. The ones who did know how Ga Eul was just shook their heads. "It's not that I'm worried about," Jan Di muttered. "She's not that bad at drinking. It's just she likes to leave after having a drink. Just watch. She'll leave for the dance floor then we won't see her again until the morning."

Ga Eul caught the smirk on Woo Bin's face and she knew what he was thinking about. She shook her head, sighing. "I'm going straight home after this," she promised. "If you don't believe me then you have my permission to drop me off."

"Her habit is that bad?" Woo Bin asked.

Ga Eul frowned. "It's not a habit. It's just . . . Wait, I don't have to explain to you. It's not like I always do it anyway." She sent a warning look in Woo Bin's direction and the boy just shrugged. Ga Eul's gaze moved to Jan Di and she noticed the suspicious look on the girl's face.

"Ga Eul-ssi, I've been meaning to ask something but I couldn't earlier," Yi Jeong said over the music that somehow had gotten louder. "Your students asked me if I was your boyfriend. Did you tell them about me?"

Ga Eul didn't know how to answer. She could feel it. He was trying to worm his way back into her heart, to reach out to her, but she didn't want to let him. As much as she wanted to shut him out completely, she couldn't. Maybe she was just that nice. Despite her new behavior, she still had the same heart. It just had to harden a bit.

She shook her head. "I just said because one of the single fathers tried hitting on me," she replied with a shrug. She was surprised that she wasn't stuttering in front of him, but relieved too because managed to speak to him. "I've only just started teaching. Dating would just distract me."

She looked away again, not wanting to see his expression. After a while, she stood up. "I need to use the restroom," she muttered. "I'll be right back."

"You better be," Jan Di called out. Ga Eul just nodded in acknowledgement and left.

A pair of friends walked out of the restroom just as she came in and she was comforted knowing that she was the only one inside at the moment. She used this moment alone to give herself that pep talk she thought she needed.

"It's just So Yi Jeong, Ga Eul," she told herself. "It shouldn't matter that he's here. You're over him." She stared at her reflection in the mirror.

 _You're over him. You're over him. You're over him_ , she repeated.

"I don't think you're over him," Jae Kyung muttered, startling the girl. Ga Eul had been so focused on her own reflection that she hadn't noticed when the other girl came in.

Ga Eul faced her. " _Unnie_ , what should I do?" she asked, hoping to get some advice. The older girl just shook her head.

"Why are you asking me? I wasn't so lucky when it comes to love." She shook her head, as if remembering the time when she had liked that fool Jun Pyo.

"But you've gotten over him," Ga Eul reminded her. "How did you do it?"

Jae Kyung shrugged. "Maybe it was because I didn't love him," she said.

Ga Eul let out a frustrated sigh from that reply. "So what am I supposed to do? Forget that I ever loved him?"

There was a pause before the other girl replied. "Give him another chance."

If only the situation wasn't as complicated as it was.

* * *

 _a/n: not much really happens in this chapter and it's kinda crappy but i wanted to get something posted since it's been a while.. idk when i'll update next so i apologize if i take too long_


	4. Chapter 4

**Avoiding Yi Jeong had been easy enough for the rest of the night.** He had probably realized she was keeping her distance for a reason and decided to respect that. She couldn't do anything without her gaze somehow wandering towards his direction or, maybe not only her gaze but her thoughts as well. Ga Eul felt a pang in her chest at the thought of him being right there.

It wasn't even too late into the evening when she decided she was leaving the club. She didn't want to, but she had to. If not, she would probably do something she would regret and make a fool out of herself. That was not an option. She was not going to be made a fool of. Not again.

Ga Eul let the others know that she heading back to her apartment. Jan Di frowned. "Already? This is unlike you," she muttered. "It's usually me who wants to leave early. You're not even drunk yet like usual, and we've been here for quite a while."

"Ga Eul? Drunk? I'm surprised so much can change after a few years," Jun Pyo said aloud. "Yah, Ga Eul, you didn't change because of Yi Jeong, right?" Jan Di elbowed her fiancé, causing him to let out a small yelp. He shot her a glare but the girl ignored his look. "I can trust that you'll make it back to your apartment okay, right?" Jan Di looked at Ga Eul suspiciously as she said this.

Ga Eul wanted to roll her eyes at what Jan Di might have been assuming. She had never left with a guy whenever Jan Di was at the club with her. She could leave the others—their kind of friendship was only surface level—but never Jan Di.

"I'll be okay. Like you said, I'm not even drunk. I can manage to take a cab home." She muttered a last " _Annyeong_ ," before heading out.

There wasn't a single taxi that passed by yet as she stood outside the club. Surely a nightclub would be good business for a taxi with all the drunken people not being able to drive and such, but it seemed that even the drivers thought that it was too early to leave. She would have called for one but she hadn't brought her phone with her. She didn't think she would need it and it was a hassle to bring. She had already lost one cellphone at a nightclub once and she wasn't going to take any chances.

She was about to start walking—maybe she would find a taxi along the way—but someone grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She twirled around, facing the offender. She quickly pulled out of his grip when she saw who it was.

A flash of disappointment appeared in Yi Jeong's expression but he managed to cover it up pretty quick. He shot her a smile, one that would have made her knees go weak had she still felt the same way about him. "I can give you a ride home, if you want," he muttered.

Ga Eul shook her head. "You don't have to. Thank you for the offer, though." She turned around again but he held onto her hand. Electricity tingled her skin at the contact and she fought to keep calm.

"I insist. I will drive you home," he said, and then added, "It'll even save you money." She frowned. The suggestion of his words echoed in her mind and she couldn't help but feel a little insulted. Instead of feeling thankful, she was reminded of yet another reason why they shouldn't be together. He might not have intended it, but she thought he sounded a bit condescending.

Yi Jeong didn't give her a choice. When she didn't respond, he pulled her towards the yellow Lotus. It had been a while since she had seen the vehicle and she couldn't help but think back to the past. When had she last been in that car with him? Despite the years that had passed, she was still aware of his habit of going a little too fast.

"You really don't have to drive me home," she muttered.

He chuckled. "We're already on the way. I can't kick you out of the car now. I'm not a jerk."

She wanted to say that he was but she bit back the remark. Instead, she said, "I haven't even told you where I live."

"Jan Di told me," he retorted and Ga Eul made a mental note to have a little chat with the girl the next time they see each other. "She was worried something could happen to you. Although, I'm surprised she let me go after you. She wasn't a fan of us being near each other before."

The car ride was silent for the rest of the time. She didn't know what to say and he didn't know how to start a conversation either. Finally, he pulled up in front of her apartment.

"Thanks for driving me here," Ga Eul muttered, opening her door. "I'll see you around, I guess." She didn't want to but she knew it was inevitable.

She shut the door and was about to turn around and leave when the window rolled down and he said something. "Can I come in for a while? If you're really thankful, why don't you invite me in for some coffee?"

She scoffed. "Is this your attempt to seduce me? _Daebak_! You're still the same, aren't you?" It was meant as a joke but she realized there was a slight bitterness in her tone. Ga Eul hoped he hadn't noticed it.

His eyes were wide and he looked as if he didn't know how to respond. She definitely wasn't acting like the young girl from before. Just because he was back, she wasn't going to revert back all of a sudden. She tried numbing her feelings while he was gone and it would be pathetic if she were to suddenly go weak.

"You've developed quite the sharp tongue, Ga Eul- _yang_ ," he muttered, looking impressed after the initial shock.

She shrugged; brushing off whatever feeling it was in the pit of her stomach. "Why drink coffee at night?" She scoffed. "I don't have any fancy drinks either. So, unless you want orange juice, you can leave now."

He frowned. "Is this really you? You were never so…" He trailed off, looking for the right word to say. Ga Eul knew the way she was acting and there was one word she would use to describe it. It seemed that Yi Jeong had decided to use a less insulting term. "You were never so mean before."

She heard the question that he didn't ask. _What happened?_ If she were to be honest, she didn't know either. What made her decide to become tougher, and less naïve? She could say that it was all him. _He_ happened. But she wasn't going to tell him that.

Ga Eul wanted to mutter a farewell. She was going to. The words betrayed her and didn't leave her mouth. Instead, he was the one to say goodbye first.

"I will see you soon, Ga Eul-ssi," he said, "Good night." The window rose, creating the barrier between them. He drove away, disappearing into the night.

Ga Eul was frozen in her spot for a while, muttering curses to herself. Before she could convince herself to run over to the nearest convenience store and buy some beer, she turned on her heel and walked into the apartment.

Her thoughts were clouded, as if she couldn't still comprehend the facts. It was pathetic, but she had no control over it. The answer was right there in front of her, in plain sight. She'd been pretending it wasn't that, convincing herself that it wasn't that. But the truth had to make its way into the open. Or at least, plague her mind until she admitted it to herself.

Ga Eul wasn't over him. It was better not to deny it. Denial was only going to make things worse for her. The best she could do was to confront him, tell him that she wanted him to leave her alone. She wasn't going to take Jae Kyung's advice. Their situations were different. She didn't understand.

* * *

 _a/n: I'm sort of becoming busier in school so I apologize for the slow updates. I also apologize for my boring chapters. Hopefully things will start to get interesting in the next chapter._


	5. Chapter 5

Ga Eul didn't know what she was feeling. She was pacing around her apartment, muttering curses for about an hour already. Try as she might, So Yi Jeong plagued her thoughts.

Even in the past week, she had been on edge. He made no contact with her and, while it shouldn't have mattered to her, it made her restless with thoughts of him squirming into her head. Her students didn't seem to notice she was distracted, or they were just more interested in playing around in the classroom. It was her co-teacher who pointed out the times she would doze off in the middle of class and advised her to go home and take a break.

Ga Eul wanted to stay but she knew her state wasn't going to be helpful in a room full of kids. She needed her mind to be in the right place, not on some ex-lover that never really was her lover.

Her phone rang; the sweet melody of the song she set as her ringtone cut through the tense air in the room. She wanted to scream at whoever it was calling her, and she did. Soo Ah was none too pleased when she was greeted with a string of curses and echoed these insults back at Ga Eul.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Ga Eul?!" Ga Eul heard her friend shout. By this time, Ga Eul had mostly calmed down from the racing thoughts in her head and the pent up frustration had settled, leaving behind a twinge of guilt at the words she had muttered.

"I'm sorry, Soo Ah-ssi," she said, "You called at a bad time."

She could imagine the girl rolling her eyes as she scoffed. "Obviously." There was some incoherent mumbling before Soo Ah spoke a little louder. "What happened? You got laid and the guy didn't use protection or something?"

Ga Eul snorted at this. "It's not that," she confirmed. Being careful had been a habit. She wouldn't go far with a guy who would refuse protection. Unless, of course, it slipped her mind. But that had never happened. She shook her head and answered, "Just an ex that I wish never came back."

There was a whistle from the other end of the line. "Ex? Since when did you ever date anyone?" Other than that jerk from years ago, before she had fallen for a certain someone's charms, she had not gone out on a date with any man. It was never her priorities to even think about dating.

"Okay, maybe not an ex," she confessed. She sighed before going on to explain. "But there was something between us, or at least I thought there was." She paused, realizing what she had just said out loud, and mentally cursed herself for saying it.

"Dude, don't get all lovey-dovey on me," Soo Ah said, "And I don't see a problem. So what if he's back? Unless you still have—You still have feelings for the guy, don't you?"

"Why does everyone keep thinking that?"

There was a chuckle before the girl spoke. "Look, I don't know the guy so I don't know how to help you deal, other than my way. Which brings us to the reason why I called. We're going out again tonight. You in? Get your mind off him for a bit. What do you say?"

Ga Eul hesitated with her answer but then nodded. "As long as it's not some rich people club. I've had enough of those places."

Her friend listed off the details before hanging up, leaving Ga Eul alone once again. She looked up at her clock, deciding to make a quick snack before getting ready for the night out. It didn't take long to cook the noodles and soon enough she was slurping ramen from her bowl as a drama played on her television screen.

Her phone rang again as the drama cut to a commercial break. She pressed the button to answer the call and held the phone up to her ear.

"Ga Eul-yang, do you have any plans for tonight?" The voice sent a shiver up her spine and she almost dropped the phone.

"Sunbae? How did you get my number?"

"That doesn't matter," he said, "So, do you have plans?"

Ga Eul frowned. "As a matter of fact, I do. I'd appreciate it if you don't plan on ruining my night," she said, making sure to keep her tone firm. She looked up at the clock that hung on the wall and mentally calculated the time it would take to change her clothes. If she got off the phone now, she could probably head out before he shows up in front of the building. With that thought in mind, she hung up and went to brush her teeth and change. She didn't bother putting on some make-up. With her plans for the night, the effort would have been wasted.

She headed out, no expensive car in sight, and smiled to herself. She went ahead to the nightclub.

Minutes later and she was standing with Soo Ah and In Seong outside their usual nightclub. They were only waiting for their two other companions when a flashy vehicle stopped right in front of the club. The window at the front rolled down and the familiar face of the man Ga Eul did not want to see smiled up at her.

"Seriously? Are you stalking me?" she wanted to ask. Instead, she turned around, calm and composed, and requested to her friends that they head inside already. "It's cold out here," she said as an excuse. Agreeing, they disappeared into the building after sending a quick text to inform their other friends.

Inside was already pretty crowded, which Ga Eul thought was fine. It would have been harder for the Casanova to find her even if he tried. Knowing him, he wouldn't. Everything was supposed to be effortless for him and she was sure that he would not want to chase after a conquest. At least, one that's clearly avoiding him. He would recognize sooner or later that his efforts would all be wasted.

The plan had been going well, her newly-arrived friends more than pleased to have a table waiting for them. But then her friends shattered her illusion withonly one sentence. A question.

"Is that So Yi Jeong?" asked Sun Mi. She was staring at the other side of the room, near the entrance, and pointed. Ga Eul fought urge to look over like her other friends.

"Who's that?" asked In Seong. He took a gulp of his drink then placed it on the table.

Ga Eul busied herself by inspecting her drink, ignoring her friend who explained just who the man was. Though she told herself she did not care one bit, she did not want to know why her friend knows him. Her friends' chatter had broken off, not that she had noticed over the pounding music. Soo Ah grabbed her attention, looking over at her with a curious gaze. Ga Eul realized her friends were all looking at her. "Sorry, I didn't quite get the question," she said.

"Your friend is dating Goo Jun Pyo, right? He's friends with So Yi Jeong," Sun Mi said.

Ga Eul shrugged. "I am aware of that. Is that all you want to know?"

"Well, he's heading over here," In Seong pointed out. "I'm sure to say hello to you."

Eyes widened, she turned around to see that he was right. It was dark but she could make out the faint outline of his smirk. At least, she had seen it enough times to imagine it perfectly. She muttered a string of curses under her breath.

"I take it this is the guy you mentioned earlier," asked Soo Ah. Ga Eul shot her friend a glare for bringing it up. There was no time to make a retort because as soon as she opened her mouth to do so, he had made it to their table.

"Ga Eul-ssi! It's good to see you," the guy greeted. Ga Eul nodded in response, looking into her now empty glass. Without thinking she grabbed a glass from the table and downed the drink.

"Hey! That was mine!" complained In Seong. She ignored him and looked over at Yi Jeong. "I would say that I'm surprised to find you here, but I would be lying." She handed the empty glass to her friend, who comically stared at it in disbelief.

Pushing herself off her seat, Ga Eul excused herself to the bathroom. She paced around the small room until Soo Ah arrived.

"You have some explaining to do," demanded the girl. Her arms folded in front of her, she raised an eyebrow at the nervous girl.

Ga Eul groaned. "Why is my life so hard?"

"Oh, don't be like that. You're making it hard for yourself." She rolled her eyes. "Now, spill. How did you manage to hook up with someone like So Yi Jeong?"

"You say that as if I can't get a guy like him. And, no, I never hooked up with him." Can't say the same about his friend, though. She mentally scolded herself. That unspeakable night had not happened, she reminded herself.

"You know what I mean. I know you're friends with a rich guy's girlfriend, but I never thought you dated one too."

Ga Eul sighed. She decided in that moment to tell her friend the whole story. Everything. From the day he found her crying on the street, to the day he surprised her at her job. She left out the unimportant part, knowing full well Soo Ah would not keep her mouth shut if she knew about the incident wth his own friend.

"We never dated. I thought we would, but now I can't even imagine it."

"But you still have feelings for him. That's why he's still affecting you."

"I hate that you're right."

"Now, come on. We've been in here long enough," said Soo Ah, eyeing the random stranger who came into the bathroom and rushed into one of the stalls.

She didn't want to go just yet. Finally admitting out loud that she actually did still have feelings for the guy made her anxious. She didn't like that. But she also knew that hiding out in the bathroom wasn't going to help her in any way. She sighed. "I'm gonna need another drink to get me through tonight."

Soo Ah's face broke into a grin. "That's my girl," she cheered. "Hey, maybe you can stay on the dancefloor. Distract yourself a bit. Can't get over someone unless you get under another, amirite?"

Ga Eul rolled her eyes but laughed anyway. She let her friend drag her out the bathroom and to the dancefloor.

Maybe she shouldn't have done that. Because then about an hour later she was leaving her friends at the club, her mind hazy from alcohol. She didn't even know where she was going.

 **A/N:**

 _Whoa. It's been a while since I last worked on this fanfic. I'm so sorry for the long wait, and I should probably apologize in advance because I don't know when I will post the next update. Ugh, my schedule's pretty hectic and weird but I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing. It's not looking too geat bc school._

 _Anyway, thanks so much for reading! Whether you were waiting for an update or are a new reader, I appreciate you taking the time to read my story. Whether you decide to continue reading this or not, I still want to say thank you._


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